Archeologia e Calcolatori 3 - 1992

As an example of pattern recognition problems in prehistory, the authors present two different kinds of classification (unsupervised and supervised) applied to a sample of common Upper Paleolithic tools: the end-scrapers of Grotta Polesini, coming from layer 1 and layer C12. The results, obtained through the use of statistical techniques, led to a general conclusion: in building a typology more attention should be given to functional considerations and to a deep understanding of behavioural patterns on a more local scale. The traditional prehistoric typological lists are therefore criticised, as they are often too general and too much oriented towards large scale comparisons in space and time.

This paper considers certain geometrical aspects of three Late Roman oil lamps. Comparison is performed by choosing amongst the geometric indexes in order to single out and estimate similarities and peculiarities of their shape. The preferred indexes chosen were symmetry and a particular size ratio. A difficulty arose from the fact that, since one does not know the numerical variability of the indexes depending on even small deformations, poor information can be obtained. Therefore, using bootstrap resampling the sample distribution is estimated for the two indexes. Through its application, one can build new methods of comparison in order to evaluate similarities and differences otherwise impossible to evidence using conventional methods.

The digital image processing technique is a complex computational tool which allows the powerful extraction of relevant information from digital data. A research project has been developed at CINECA (InterUniversity Supercomputing Center, Bologna) in cooperation with the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, in order to produce specific image processing tools for archaeological applications. The application fields are: digital analysis of aerial photographs; remote sensing; automatic classifications; automatic drawing; Digital Elevation Models (DEM); texture mapping; 3D landscape navigation.

The main advantages of archaeological excavation electronic video documentation are to be found in the highly informative potential of recording sound and movement with respect to documentation. This opens up the many potentials of electronic image management, both in data acquisition and processing. The first benefit deals with the possibility of direct computer interfacing, the real-time control (via the monitor) of each frame sequence, and more generally the useful tendency of video devices to be automated for recording. The second main benefit deals with the extended possibilities of electronic image enhancing and processing, that can be efficiently used in archaeological research.

Photogrammetric display gives the archaeologist the possibility of personally constructing maps to meet his needs through the selection of features shown, prominence assigned to them and through the accurate and detailed rendering of relief. The aid of computers is very important, both for database construction and for the full utilisation of analytical photogrammetric systems.

SIRIS (Information system for the reconstruction of historical settlements) is a territorial recording project based on the standards established by the Italian Central Institute for Catalogue and Documentation. Its aim has been to create an integrated alphanumeric, cartographic, iconographic data bank to operate as an informative territorial system pertaining to the cultural heritage of the Emilia-Romagna Region. Information resulting from territorial analyses conducted during the project have been listed, memorised in alphanumeric files or on videodisks (in the case of photos) and then mapped. The research relating to the card-indexing of archivistic and cartographic documentary sources has covered the entire regional territory, while landscape and morphological analyses, cataloguing of architectural works and the study of planning instruments have been carried out in the boroughs of Boretto, Brescello, Gualtieri, Guastarla, Luzzara, Novellara, Poviglio and Reggiolo. All this information is now contained in an integrated multimedia data bank. A microcomputer (VAX) with a standard operating system (UNIX) and a DBMS (INFORMIX) manages the alphanumerical and digital mapping databases and contains the instructions to guide the user through the data banks. A highly developed work station presenting information by means of windows (software X-WINDOX'S) is available to the SIRIS user. Methodologies of human-computer interaction have been developed with particular care in order to achieve a complete and easy-to-use system. The project has been promoted by the Istituto per i Beni Culturali of the Emilia-Romagna Region and In-Systems and Management S.p.A..

The aim of the present piece of work is to devise a tool for the computerized handling of information regarding the re-use of classical material in Medieval and Renaissance buildings. In view of the variety, loose structure and complex interrelations of the data in question, and in view of the kind of people likely to be interested in the product (historians, art-historians and archaeologists), hypermedia and hypertextual techniques were adopted. Thus, the software chosen was HyperCard, together with HyperKRS for improved searching. Particular attention was paid to the problems connected with the simultaneous handling of text and images, as well as to the definition of the user-interface and the search and retrieval operations. The pilot study made use of material from the archaeological Collection of the Opera Primaziale of Pisa.

The authors present the research activity carried out at the Istituto di Archeologia of Bologna University. The projects concern in particular ceramic artefacts, from attic black-figured pottery to coarse ware. The procedures followed for the storage, retrieval and data analysis use DBMS, IRS, CAD and statistical packages. A database system was created in order to examine the diffusion of Athenian pottery during the first half of the VI century and to consider possible “export models”, archaic trade overseas of attic black-figured pottery and the role of fine Athenian vases in their own production context. In the coarse ware research project, statistical procedures and quantitative analyses were carried out in order to create a problem-oriented classification in which the pottery was used as an anthropological indicator. Finally, some computer graphics applications were undertaken with some fragmentary coarse ware vessels, and a comparison made with the traditional graphical representations.

Personal computers are able to organise complex information and to develop didactic experiences. In particular, new software makes use of audiovisual techniques, controlled by the computer, to create interactive experiences. This article discusses some of the principal interactive programs utilised in art exhibitions and highlights the power of multimedia programs in didactic activities. Some suggestions are also made regarding the use of multimedia programs.

The authors present the “CAIE” project, carried out at the Istituto per l'archeologia etrusco-italica of the Italian CNR. The aim of the project is the computerisation of the Thesaurus Linguae Etruscae, with the use of an Information Retrieval System, and the association between texts and archaeological and epigraphical information, such as place and way of finding, support object, technical characteristics, chronology and bibliographical references. The choice of the program FUL/TEXT, implemented for IBM PC, is related to the facility of organising the data both in fixed fields, useful for recording archaeological and epigraphical information, and in free format, useful for recording texts. A personalisation of the program was also implemented, above all for solving the problems presented by the Etruscan language. Data bank consultation is foreseen and will allow interrogations to be made also by unspecialised users.

This paper presents the computerised epigraphical form which has been used for the cataloguing of the Roman brick stamps in the collection of the Vatican Museums. It has been structured on the basis of the form used for the cataloguing of the Lapidary Collections of the Museo Nazionale Romano. Following the acronyms of the entries, represented by an abbreviation of four letters, this form gives a series of answers written in capital letters, one of these to be chosen depending on each specific case; they are followed by blank spaces destined to contain different data, especially numerical. With the formalised recording of the data through an editor, it is possible to create statistical indices (KWIC and other types) through two programs called S.I.D.E.R.A. and « Epiglossa », written for this purpose.